Enriching the Thames/Coromandel WW1 Roll of Honour online

The Coromandel Heritage Trust already has an extensive website detailing many aspects of local heritage, including a web page on local involvement in the First World War. This includes biographical details of individuals who served: at present this is mainly limited to those who lost their lives.

During the course of WW100 (2014-18) it is intended to expand the page to include the whole Thames/Coromandel area (commensurate with what other local towns and groups are doing) and to include biographical details of all who served. The project will also include the production of hard copy documents outlining local involvement in the First World War and a series of rolling displays, timed to coincide with key milestones in the wider WW100 project, e.g. the Gallipoli campaign.

Research conducted so far has identified more than 20 men with local connections, who served in the First World War but are not listed on local memorials. Thus, an important aspect of the project will be to comprehensively research, and document, local involvement. This will include photos, family details, service records and burial details. Research will involve an appeal to local communities for information related to family members who served.

It is well known from other local research efforts that this type of information exists in abundance, but relies on a carefully orchestrated effort to collect it.